Giants All-Stars

[calsnowskier]

That time of year again. Who will represent the Giants this year? Who should represent the Giants this year?

Will represent...

Posey
Bumgarner
Cueto

Should represent...

Bumgarner
Cueto

Not a banner year for individual achievement by Giants players.

 

[LHG]

My thoughts on the position players (based on at least 150 at-bats, Giant OPS ranking for NL only):

C - Posey shouldn't be voted in as the starter. I think Wilson Ramos should get that nod. Lucroy should be the guy on the bench. However, if the manager goes with three catchers, then Posey is close enough to Wellington Castillo to get that nod. Posey ranks 4th in OPS.

1B - Ah, the joys of 1st base. Matt Adams' hot last month puts him in the running for starter. Belt's numbers are right up there with the best in the NL but, unfortunately, those are Anthony Rizzo and Paul Goldschmidt. Goldschmidt's OPS is .922, Rizzo is .919 and Belt's is .916. I would like him to be on the bench but it probably won't happen.

2B - Panik got robbed last year. This year, he's not in the discussion. It should be Daniel Murphy and its not even close. Let Ben Zobrist and Matt Carpenter (see below) be his backups. Panik currently ranks 10th in OPS.

3B - Matt Carpenter has a slightly higher OPS, but he has transitioned to 2B (does he make the All-Star team as a 9th infielder?) so I'd vote for Nolan Arenado. Kris Bryant and Jake Lamb on the bench. Duffy 14th in OPS.

SS - Aledmys Diaz came out of nowhere to put up spectacular numbers! Let him start. And let Trevor Story and Corey Seager battle for the bench spot. Crawford 6th in OPS.

OF - A starting outfield of Cespedes, Ozuna and Braun. With Harper, Polanco, Yelich and Trayce Thompson as the bench. Pence is 13th and Span is 36th in OPS.

SP - The starters I think should make it are Clayton Kershaw, Jon Lester, Jake Arrieta, Johnny Cueto, Noah Syndergaard, Madison Bumgarner, Jason Hammel and Drew Pomeranz. Jose Fernandez and John Lackey barely miss my cut.

RP - Kenley Jansen, Fernando Rodney, Hector Rondon, Addison Reed and Seung Hwan Oh would be my selections for the bullpen.

This would give the following teams at least one representative each (based on the structure of last year's roster. Sorry Reds, Braves and Phillies, but you have no All-Star worthy players, that rule is dumb anyway):
Cubs - 7
Dodgers - 3
Mets - 3
Giants - 3
Cardinals - 3
Nationals - 3
Diamondbacks - 2
Rockies - 2
Marlins - 2
Brewers - 2
Padres - 2
Pirates - 1

For the three teams I omitted, here's their best position player and pitcher and where I'd rank them by their position:
Reds - Jay Bruce - 9th (note: Zack Cozart - 5th among shortstops); Dan Straily - 22nd
Braves - Freddie Freeman - 13th; Arodys Vizcaino - 10th
Phillies - Odubel Herrera - 16th; Aaron Nola - 19th

 

[tzill]

you've focused on offensive numbers for all these positions, which is how some will vote. However, there are smart voters out there too. Nobody in the NL (all positions) is close to Brandon Crawford's 14.9 defensive runs saved. among SS, Seager is 8.3 and Diaz is -3.0. Simply put, Craw is the most valuable SS in the NL. He should start. He won't, b/c Chubbfan will stuff the ballot box, but he should. There is zero chance, IMO, that the coaches and players will leave Craw off the team.

Posey makes it b/c he's Buster freaking Posey. The ASG isn't for the players having the best offensive half year, it's for the most popular and the most respected players. Sometimes, these also happen to be the best players (Crawford) having the best years. Among catchers, only Lucroy is having a better offensive year than Buster, and only Realmuto is having a better defensive year. Buster is second in runs created, defensive runs saved, and WAR. He's also one of the faces of MLB. He's in.

Bum and JC make it in as they are both top 8 in WAR, ERA and FIP. They're in.

So, four Giants:

Bum
JC
Posey
Crawford

Brandon Belt is close. He leads NL 1B in runs created. He's fourth in WAR. If Goldy or Rizzo get injured he's in.

 

[calsnowskier]

Belt is one of the most underrated players in the game (even by myself). Therefore, I don't think he has ahold for getting a 1B spot on the all-star team unless 2 or 3 guys back out. He doesn't have the flashy traditional stats nor the name to get him over the top.

Craw is certainly in the mix. I just think that this will be a year where Giants players get passed over (this is a good thing. Shoulder-chips lead to finger-bling).

 

[MarcoPolo]

And you forgot to weight the "east of the Mississippi" bias, which gives anybody playing on or near the east coast twice the chance to make the AS game.

 

[calsnowskier]

And you forgot to weight the "east of the Mississippi" bias, which gives anybody playing on or near the east coast twice the chance to make the AS game.

And the Mets hold the major decision making weight.

 

[LHG]

you've focused on offensive numbers for all these positions, which is how some will vote. However, there are smart voters out there too. Nobody in the NL (all positions) is close to Brandon Crawford's 14.9 defensive runs saved. among SS, Seager is 8.3 and Diaz is -3.0. Simply put, Craw is the most valuable SS in the NL. He should start. He won't, b/c Chubbfan will stuff the ballot box, but he should. There is zero chance, IMO, that the coaches and players will leave Craw off the team.

Posey makes it b/c he's Buster freaking Posey. The ASG isn't for the players having the best offensive half year, it's for the most popular and the most respected players. Sometimes, these also happen to be the best players (Crawford) having the best years. Among catchers, only Lucroy is having a better offensive year than Buster, and only Realmuto is having a better defensive year. Buster is second in runs created, defensive runs saved, and WAR. He's also one of the faces of MLB. He's in.

Bum and JC make it in as they are both top 8 in WAR, ERA and FIP. They're in.

So, four Giants:

Bum
JC
Posey
Crawford

Brandon Belt is close. He leads NL 1B in runs created. He's fourth in WAR. If Goldy or Rizzo get injured he's in.

I did focus on the offensive numbers. My post was taking too much time as it was. Trying to figure out all the defensive numbers for the entire league would have taken much too long.

I think you may forgotten about Wilson Ramos offensively. He's hitting better than any other catcher in the NL. Defensively, he's not doing as well as Posey but he's doing fairly well (39% caught stealing, for example). I disagree about the intent of the All-Star game but the components you mentioned are definitely weighted in selections, sometimes to outlandishly silly selections.

 

[LHG]

As the starting rotation is currently set, Madison Bumgarner's turn in the rotation would be Monday, July 11th and Johnny Cueto's would be Tuesday, July 12th.

 

[SFGRTB]

No talk?!

Bum, Cueto, Posey IN. Posey was voted in as the starter!

Craw, Belt OUT.

Belt a finalist for the MLB Final Vote. SO go vote away.

I have a feeling both will get in anyway.

Adam Duvall is an All-Star. Bitter-sweet for sure.

 

[tzill]

Stamos snub is particularly egregious. He's simply the best defender in the game.

I'd expect he'll get in after an injury. Belt too.

 

[moxie]

No talk?!
Bum, Cueto, Posey IN. Posey was voted in as the starter!
Craw, Belt OUT.

Belt a finalist for the MLB Final Vote. SO go vote away.

I have a feeling both will get in anyway.

Adam Duvall is an All-Star. Bitter-sweet for sure.

Text N1 to 89269 to vote for Belt!

 

[SFGRTB]

AND BRANDON BELT!

 

[1phlapdown]

Stamos snub is particularly egregious. He's simply the best defender in the game.

I'd expect he'll get in after an injury. Belt too.

BB9 got in as did Pomeranz, Marte and Bruce, but no Craw, yet...

 

[calsnowskier]

BB9 got in as did Pomeranz, Marte and Bruce, but no Craw, yet...

Diaz was the big head-scratcher.

 

[1phlapdown]

Diaz was the big head-scratcher.

Carpenter was their only rep on the team and he was scratched so Diaz was the next best player so it seems.

 

[SFGRTB]

Carpenter was their only rep on the team and he was scratched so Diaz was the next best player so it seems.

(It's weird that the CARDINALS only had one rep!!)

I mean, Carpenter is still an All-Star, so now they have 2 reps. Even though Carp wasn't going to play, it still counts, right?

 

[1phlapdown]

(It's weird that the CARDINALS only had one rep!!)

I mean, Carpenter is still an All-Star, so now they have 2 reps. Even though Carp wasn't going to play, it still counts, right?

I was thinking the same about the cards. Maybe they miss Tony L

I'm sure it still counts for bonus money.

 

[msgkings322]

Is Bumgarner going to attend the festivities, even though he has been replaced on the roster?

 

[tzill]

Is Bumgarner going to attend the festivities, even though he has been replaced on the roster?

yes. He says he'll be there in SD. He will be introduced.

 

[calsnowskier]

Giants have the starting battery. And the pitcher is our #2.\

Cueto is the fourth Giants pitcher to start the ASG since 2003 (Schmidt '03, Lincecum '09, Cain '12)




Surprising that Cain was Ace level as recently as 2012. His injuries have made it seem like a lifetime ago that he was good.